Larry Page's air taxis are already flying above New Zealand

Ellis Simpson

According to the New York Times, the company has reached a deal with the New Zealand government to allow the air taxi service to operate, and the company hopes to launch the service in as few as three years.

Zephyr said using the air taxi would be a simple experience for passengers, similar to taking a ride-share in a auto.

Cora takes off from the help of propellers which are connected to the vehicle's wings with another in back of its body, letting it lift upward like a helicopter. "Cora will combine self-flying software with expert human supervision, so you can enjoy the ride".

The airport company has been in discussions with the American company for some time now, supporting its search for a suitable test space for the autonomous air taxi, known as Cora.

This removes the need for a trained pilot to be on board.

Perhaps most impressive? Cora is a VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) machine.

Cora is a small aircraft that looks like a mix between a drone and a plane.

In 2015 a second competing flying-car startup called Kitty Hawk, also began operations in its headquarters close to Google's.

The company launched a prototype of its Flyer, a single-person aircraft powered by eight electric rotors in April 2017.

Built with funding from Page, the craft is created to use self-flying software, which controls its 12 fans to provide lift-off and forward thrust - without the need for a runway.

"I have had the privilege of seeing the self-piloted air taxi and I am very excited about what it offers for future generations - to live and move in a way that has never been possible before". In November, Boeing acquired Aurora Flight Sciences.

The opportunity to use New Zealand as the first place to commercialize the autonomous taxi service is a step-change in the advancement of the sector. Dubai formed a partnership with a Chinese company, EHang. Uber has a division by itself called Uber Elevate.

"A place that could be more than just a willing airfield". But those countries have never been seen as models for aviation regulators in the rest of the developed world.

Negotiations between Kitty Hawk and the New Zealand government have been going on for about 18 months, with multiple government agencies pledging to "streamline" the process of approval for a flying-taxi trial, according to Stuff. This means that the rules it develops may become an example for other nations, including the US.